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Old 02-18-2014, 03:49 PM
 
Location: South Lake Tahoe since July 2012
17 posts, read 28,969 times
Reputation: 24

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Hello!
We are moving at the end of the school year and need some insight/opinions, thanks in advance!!

Background: My husband and I are both 30, we have 3 daughters ages 8, 4, and almost 2. We are both from Chicago and my whole family still lives in the Chicago land area. My husband is a master diagnostic tech (MDT) for Toyota and he can pretty much get a job at any Toyota dealership. We were living in Villa Park, IL and my husband was commuting to downtown Chicago and was sick of it and decided to look into moving to Lake Tahoe, CA for the snowboarding/snowskating and laid back atmosphere. Well, they don't have many qualified MDT's so they gave him a really sweet deal. Anyways, this town is way too small and I hate driving 45 min. just to go to Walmart or Target or any shopping for that matter. What we're looking for is a town with nice weather, lots of outdoor activites, access to water for swimming tubing etc, affordable ($200-250K), great schools, close to a city and airport.

We have narrowed down our search to Denver or Austin. Actually, to be more specific, Highlands Ranch, CO or Round Rock, TX. I have searched many posts/threads and researched both extensively but we keep finding that our pros and cons list is about equal. Texas has great weather (almost) year round and Lake Travis is close by, has great schools, no state taxes, and a house we could afford could be BIG. But we wouldn't be able to snowboard regularly anymore and property taxes are crazy high. (no snow would be ok for me, but my husband and 8year old don't like this very much.) In CO we would still be close to shopping, mountains, snowboarding, low property taxes, and good schools but its still cold and snowy in the winter, which I don't care for.

Ahhhhh.... it seems so even right now. ANY help please!! TIA.
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Old 02-18-2014, 03:55 PM
 
Location: Colorado
2,483 posts, read 4,373,160 times
Reputation: 2686
Some of these existing threads might be a good place to start:
//www.city-data.com/forum/city-...hicago-vs.html
//www.city-data.com/forum/denve...er-austin.html
//www.city-data.com/forum/gener...ld-i-live.html

Not to mention several response you already received here:
//www.city-data.com/forum/austi...er-austin.html
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Old 02-18-2014, 03:58 PM
 
Location: Cole neighborhood, Denver, CO
1,123 posts, read 3,111,930 times
Reputation: 1254
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChiTownChristina View Post
Hello!
We are moving at the end of the school year and need some insight/opinions, thanks in advance!!

Background: My husband and I are both 30, we have 3 daughters ages 8, 4, and almost 2. We are both from Chicago and my whole family still lives in the Chicago land area. My husband is a master diagnostic tech (MDT) for Toyota and he can pretty much get a job at any Toyota dealership. We were living in Villa Park, IL and my husband was commuting to downtown Chicago and was sick of it and decided to look into moving to Lake Tahoe, CA for the snowboarding/snowskating and laid back atmosphere. Well, they don't have many qualified MDT's so they gave him a really sweet deal. Anyways, this town is way too small and I hate driving 45 min. just to go to Walmart or Target or any shopping for that matter. What we're looking for is a town with nice weather, lots of outdoor activites, access to water for swimming tubing etc, affordable ($200-250K), great schools, close to a city and airport.

We have narrowed down our search to Denver or Austin. Actually, to be more specific, Highlands Ranch, CO or Round Rock, TX. I have searched many posts/threads and researched both extensively but we keep finding that our pros and cons list is about equal. Texas has great weather (almost) year round and Lake Travis is close by, has great schools, no state taxes, and a house we could afford could be BIG. But we wouldn't be able to snowboard regularly anymore and property taxes are crazy high. (no snow would be ok for me, but my husband and 8year old don't like this very much.) In CO we would still be close to shopping, mountains, snowboarding, low property taxes, and good schools but its still cold and snowy in the winter, which I don't care for.

Ahhhhh.... it seems so even right now. ANY help please!! TIA.
Sounds like your decision was made at: "Snowboarding". Come to Denver.
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Old 02-18-2014, 04:02 PM
 
Location: Aurora, CO
8,605 posts, read 14,894,836 times
Reputation: 15400
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChiTownChristina View Post
Hello!
We are moving at the end of the school year and need some insight/opinions, thanks in advance!!

Background: My husband and I are both 30, we have 3 daughters ages 8, 4, and almost 2. We are both from Chicago and my whole family still lives in the Chicago land area. My husband is a master diagnostic tech (MDT) for Toyota and he can pretty much get a job at any Toyota dealership. We were living in Villa Park, IL and my husband was commuting to downtown Chicago and was sick of it and decided to look into moving to Lake Tahoe, CA for the snowboarding/snowskating and laid back atmosphere. Well, they don't have many qualified MDT's so they gave him a really sweet deal. Anyways, this town is way too small and I hate driving 45 min. just to go to Walmart or Target or any shopping for that matter. What we're looking for is a town with nice weather, lots of outdoor activites, access to water for swimming tubing etc, affordable ($200-250K), great schools, close to a city and airport.

We have narrowed down our search to Denver or Austin. Actually, to be more specific, Highlands Ranch, CO or Round Rock, TX. I have searched many posts/threads and researched both extensively but we keep finding that our pros and cons list is about equal. Texas has great weather (almost) year round and Lake Travis is close by, has great schools, no state taxes, and a house we could afford could be BIG. But we wouldn't be able to snowboard regularly anymore and property taxes are crazy high. (no snow would be ok for me, but my husband and 8year old don't like this very much.) In CO we would still be close to shopping, mountains, snowboarding, low property taxes, and good schools but its still cold and snowy in the winter, which I don't care for.

Ahhhhh.... it seems so even right now. ANY help please!! TIA.
Honestly your decision will probably hinge on which you can handle better - an occasional winter cold snap or long, hot, humid summers. The humidity in Austin will be similar to Chicago (maybe just a tiny bit drier), but the temps will be a good 10-15 degrees higher.

Denver does occasionally drop below zero during the winter, but it won't feel as bone-chilling as a Chicago winter because of the lack of humidity. The payoff comes in the form of mild summers.
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Old 02-18-2014, 04:07 PM
 
Location: Na'alehu Hawaii/Buena Vista Colorado
5,528 posts, read 12,672,056 times
Reputation: 6198
Isn't the cost of housing much more affordable in Austin? The OP quoted a price range of $200,000 to $250,000 and I assume that she is going to want at least three bedrooms (she has three kids) in the Highlands Ranch area with great schools. Is that going to be doable?
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Old 02-18-2014, 04:27 PM
 
Location: South Lake Tahoe since July 2012
17 posts, read 28,969 times
Reputation: 24
Quote:
Originally Posted by otterprods View Post
Great, thanks!
But why the satire post? I don't think my reasons for moving or our wishes in a town are unreasonable at all.

Last edited by ChiTownChristina; 02-18-2014 at 04:57 PM..
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Old 02-18-2014, 04:31 PM
 
Location: South Lake Tahoe since July 2012
17 posts, read 28,969 times
Reputation: 24
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dreaming of Hawaii View Post
Isn't the cost of housing much more affordable in Austin? The OP quoted a price range of $200,000 to $250,000 and I assume that she is going to want at least three bedrooms (she has three kids) in the Highlands Ranch area with great schools. Is that going to be doable?
Yes, Austin is a lot more affordable. I only found a couple houses that were in our price range in Highlands Ranch, but we are ok with renting for a couple years to save an even bigger down payment. Also, we are approved up to $300,000, but wanted to stay under $250K because the houses are older and may need some work, but if the house is right we are willing spend up to $300K

Last edited by ChiTownChristina; 02-18-2014 at 05:22 PM..
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Old 02-18-2014, 05:26 PM
 
Location: Colorado
2,483 posts, read 4,373,160 times
Reputation: 2686
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChiTownChristina View Post
But why the satire post? I don't think my reasons for moving or our wishes in a town are unreasonable at all.
It came up when searching 'Denver or Austin' and mentions both places as being in the top 10 'thinking of moving to' places. Besides, I thought it was funny.
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Old 02-18-2014, 06:01 PM
 
Location: Alaska
3,146 posts, read 4,106,864 times
Reputation: 5470
Quote:
Originally Posted by ChiTownChristina View Post
Hello!
We are moving at the end of the school year and need some insight/opinions, thanks in advance!!

Background: My husband and I are both 30, we have 3 daughters ages 8, 4, and almost 2. We are both from Chicago and my whole family still lives in the Chicago land area. My husband is a master diagnostic tech (MDT) for Toyota and he can pretty much get a job at any Toyota dealership. We were living in Villa Park, IL and my husband was commuting to downtown Chicago and was sick of it and decided to look into moving to Lake Tahoe, CA for the snowboarding/snowskating and laid back atmosphere. Well, they don't have many qualified MDT's so they gave him a really sweet deal. Anyways, this town is way too small and I hate driving 45 min. just to go to Walmart or Target or any shopping for that matter. What we're looking for is a town with nice weather, lots of outdoor activites, access to water for swimming tubing etc, affordable ($200-250K), great schools, close to a city and airport.

We have narrowed down our search to Denver or Austin. Actually, to be more specific, Highlands Ranch, CO or Round Rock, TX. I have searched many posts/threads and researched both extensively but we keep finding that our pros and cons list is about equal. Texas has great weather (almost) year round and Lake Travis is close by, has great schools, no state taxes, and a house we could afford could be BIG. But we wouldn't be able to snowboard regularly anymore and property taxes are crazy high. (no snow would be ok for me, but my husband and 8year old don't like this very much.) In CO we would still be close to shopping, mountains, snowboarding, low property taxes,and good schools but its still cold and snowy in the winter, which I don't care for.

Ahhhhh.... it seems so even right now. ANY help please!! TIA.
Not always, this is today's weather:

Denver, CO
Partly Cloudy
66°F


Precipitation: 0%
Humidity: 27%
Wind: 16 mph
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Old 02-18-2014, 06:23 PM
 
473 posts, read 849,239 times
Reputation: 740
Quote:
Not always, this is today's weather:

Denver, CO
Partly Cloudy
66°F


Precipitation: 0%
Humidity: 27%
Wind: 16 mph
Yes, but look at the weather same date two weeks ago. Five days of below 10, and nights of folks babysitting their pipes and car batteries.

We have a great climate and are very fortunate that our winters do not carry the gloom and snow accumulation of the midwest and east. (It usually melts and streets are dry within a few days.) And, during the day even if it's 30-40 with the sun it's quite enjoyable outside in the winter.

BUT, it is definitely cold and snowy in the winter-just short lived and oscillates between snowstorms, messy streets, ice - then beautiful mild/warm sunny days like this past weekend.

Summers are quite tolerable, albeit a few hot spells. One plus is leaving doors/windows open with no bugs/mosquitoes. If you enjoy hiking and camping summer weekends are perfect for it - mountains are typically 60-85ish during summer, and even chilly by night. (Breckenridge, Buena Vista, or your favorite campsites are perfect family getaways for summer weekends.)

But - We certainly have a winter with cold, snow, and ice. It's just broken up with big swings to milder temps.
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